Environment:

This is What the U.S. Would Look Like Without Environmental Protections (PHOTOS)
In the early 1970s, an amazing photojournalism project called Documerica captured a polluted nation in the midst of establishing its first major environmental protections. Documerica was sponsored by the fledgling E.P.A., which hoped to document and examine the extent of the country’s environmental troubles. A team of talented photographers was assembled to shoot, in breathtaking, uncompromising detail, the unchecked air pollution, contaminated waterways, hazardous coal mines, and some truly disturbing waste issues across the U.S. Read full story from treehugger.com

News:

New Native American Studies Program in Maryland
To fill an unmet need in Maryland the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) at Catonsville recently started offering a Native American Studies program.

According to the program’s coordinator, Stephanie A.L. Molholt, there are currently no Native American Studies programs in the state of Maryland so this one “meets a compelling need.”

She said the program enhances and furthers the school’s mission “by linking CCBC to under-recognized and under-served communities in Maryland and the U.S.” Read full story from indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Firebombs Targeting a Mandir and the Hindu Community in New York
(CHAKRA) A group representing American Hindus (Hindu American Foundation) condemned a series of firebomb attacks that occurred at five separate locations late Sunday night in New York. Four of the firebombs targeted locations in Jamaica, Queens, including a Hindu temple housed within a residential property. This event was broadly ignored by mainstream media outlets and while no damage or injuries resulted from the attack, the temple’s priest, Ramesh Maharaj, who also lives in the house, believed the firebomb was intended to cause significant harm. A security camera outside the temple caught the attack on camera and helped police create a description of the suspect. Ray Lazier Lengend, a 40-year-old New York man of Guyanese descent, was arrested yesterday. Reportedly, he confessed to all five attacks and cited “personal grievances with each location.” Read full story from chakranews.com

Cuba’s Santeria priests predict upheaval, but no end of the world, in 2012
HAVANA — A body of top Afro-Cuban priests is predicting a year of change and upheaval in 2012, but the group says fears the world will end are wrong.

Religion:

AFA defends cost of worship area for Pagan cadets
The U.S. Air Force Academy has been taking fire for building an $80,000 Stonehenge -like worship area for a handful of Pagan and Wiccan cadets.

Yet the academy can justify building Falcon Circle for outdoor, earth-centered spirituality — and the price tag, spokesman Don Branum said today.

The $80,000 figure includes $26,500 spent on erosion control on the east side of the hill where Falcon Circle is situated, Branum said.

The academy did spend $51,484 on creating Falcon Circle, dedicated in 2010, for a small group of cadets — only three in Fall 2011 semester — who identify themselves as Pagans.

“The Air Force Academy did it because it’s the right thing to do,” Branum said. Pagan soldiers, he said, also have served and died for their country.

It’s not a waste of money, said Col. Robert Bruno, the academy’s senior chaplain. Read full story from denverpost.com

Reality checks available at Bloomfield library
‘ve been reading a book called “Buddhism Plain and Simple” by Steve Hagen. The early chapters explain that the problem most people have is their failure to pay attention. They feel disconnected from the reality of their own lives.

This is a simple concept, but it’s hard to grasp. Two other books I read last month illustrate that fact clearly. Eric Weiner’s “Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine” is light and funny. Debbie Nathan’s “Sybil Exposed” is terribly sad.

In many ways, Weiner reminds me of myself. He is a man who lives largely inside his own head. He is also a gastronomic Jew.

I was in college before I realized that the religious observances of my family had more to do with food than faith.

Weiner was a successful writer with a wife and child when agonizing stomach pains sent him to the hospital. While he was waiting for test results, a nurse asked him a chilling question.

“Have you found your God yet?” Read full story from northjersey.com

Media:

Pair On Trial Over Boy’s ‘Witchcraft’ Murder
A 15-year-old boy who died from “unspeakable savagery and brutality” was attacked by relatives who believed he was a sorcerer involved in witchcraft, a court has heard. Read full story from sky.com

Blogspot:

• Bishop in The Grove – Questioning Paganism… Again.
• Pagan + Politics – What the GOP’s Religion-Heavy Platform Means to Pagans
• The Pagan Household – The Pagan In Me
• Unreasonable Faith – And All Religion’s False
• The Wild Hunt – Buncombe County School Blinks in Pagan Inclusion Test

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa